Buff and method of making the same



Jan. 11, 1949. 1 J. WALLING- BUFF AND METHOD OF MAKING. THE SAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Aug. 11, 1937 NVENTOR. LAWRENCE IWALUNQ BY /QL ATTOR YS.

Jan. ll, 1949. J. wALLlNG A 2,459,055

BUFF AND METHOD OF`- MAKING THE SAME original Filed Aug. 11, 1957 2 sheets-sheet? INVENTR. LAWRENCE J. WALLxNqf B i i ATTORN s.

Patented `Fan. 11, 1949 .UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BFF AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Lawrence J.. Walling, Keyport, N. J., assigner 'of one-fifth to Charles R. Stoddard, New York, and one-fifth to Robert Harding, Jr., Elmsford,

Continuation of application Serial No. 158,598, August 11, 1937. 'This application Aprill 28, 4 1947, Serial N0. 744,356 l 1 This invention relates to the art of buing and isr a continuation of my prior filed' application, Ser. No. 158,598, now abandoned.y The invention has for its principal object to provide a buff which may be easily and inexpensively constructed and which will have a much more uniform and eiiicient bufng action than buiis heretofore used.

Another object of the invention is to provide a .buff which may be dynamically balanced and which will maintain such balance throughout the useful life thereof.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a bui the active surface of which is composed substantially solely of the ends of the strands of which the buff is made.

Another object of the invention is to provide al method of making a bui in which all waste is eliminated. I

A further object of the invention is to provide a buff which may be worn down to the center in use without any change in the character of the effective buiing surface.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a construction for buiTs by means of which all the strands making up the buff may be anchored at the center and may extend out to the circumference. y

Other objects of the invention, as well as objects relating to the interweaving, stitching, and attaching together the various elements of the bun will be apparent as the description of the invention proceeds. y

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: n

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a tubular piece of webbing showing a step vin the process of constructing one form of my improved buit;

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the same piece of webbing illustrating a further step in the process; l

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevational View of the nished buff after thestep illustrated in Fig. 2 has been completed;

Figs. 4, 5, 6, and '7 show enlarged views of modied forms of strands which may be used in constructing the buii of the invention;

Figs. 8 and 9 are a iront sectional elevational view and a side View respectively of a larger diameter bui than thatshown in Figs. 1 and 2, showing one manner of attaching the buff to an additional center element;

Fig. 10 is a side elevational View of one of my improved buis showing a modified form of center therefor;

Fig. 11 is a perspective View illustrating a primary step in the process of constructing another form of my improved buiT; y

Fig.A 12 is a perspective view of another step in the process of constructing the buff; and

10 Claims. (Cl. 51-193) Fig. 13 is a side view of the finished buil.

Referring now more specically to the drawings, the buff of Figs. 1, 2, and 3 may be preferably constructed of strands III, braided, woven, or otherwise interlaced to form a seamless tube I I. These individual strands I8 may be made of cotton or other suitable buing material and are preferably arranged so that they run from end to end of the tube', the interlacing or weav-v ing being such that the tube is completely seamless, the interlacing of the strands being uniform and continuous around the tube. Such a tube of webbing may be easily made on machines which are well known in the art vfor ,forming the woven covering on insulated wires or the like, or in the manufacture of canvas hose, and a continuous tube may thus be manufactured and cut off at the proper lengths for the buis.

When a suitable length of the tubing has been cut oi, as shown in Fig. 1, I may prefer to gather the center on 'a line, indicated at I2, so that the diameter of the tube at the center isdecreased. Thisyoperation may be carried out on any well known-type of sewing machine equipped with a gathering attachment. I prefer to accomplish this step by machine rather than rby hand so that the gathers may be uniform as this may aiect the dynamic balance of the buil after it is completed; but it may be done by hand, if desired. In some cases I may dispense with the gathering machine and draw the center of the tube in with a string or cord. y v

With the tube gathered inthe center, the ends ofthe tube may then be expanded and brought towards each other, as shown in Fig. 2, to form the completed bui, shownin section in Fig. 3.v If desired, the sides of the bui` may then be stitched together in any desired manner to makeV a firm structure, but this stitching may be omitted, especially with the smaller buffs, and has not been shown.

The ,strands making up the buffmay be made in a great variety of ways, depending on thev desired thickness of the iinished bui and the use intended for it. Single linear threads have been indicated in Figs. land 2. l Fig. 4 shows an enlarged fragmentary View of a single strand I3Y made up of a pluralityoi thinner threads or laments I 4, twisted into a cord or rope. In Fig. 5 I

- have shown the strand I5 composed of a plurality of smaller strands or threads I6 braided together-`r In Fig. 6 a single strand II is shown formed in a chain stitch. In Fig. 7 'a fragmentary portion of the tube of Fig. `1 is shown with. the interlaced strands I8 made ofstrips of cloth preferably cut on the bias. These strips may be Woven `flat, as indicated, or twisted before the interlacing is done. p

It will be understood that any of the strands shown by way of example in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, may be used yto form the tube of Fig. .1, or various combinations yof two -or more of these strands may be used for a single strand. Also, While a simple weave is shown in Fig. 1, the irlvention is intended to cover `any desiredwveave or braid which may be used to form a seamless tube.

After the bui has been completed, it 'may be placed on a shaft and secured thereon .byrsuitable Washers, and driven at the desired speed for the particular Work on which it is4 to be used. In many instances it may be preferable to mount a number of these buffs side by side on the shaft to form a builing wheel of the desired thickness;

Where small buifs are made it may 'be practicable to reduce the diameter of the tube of Webbing to the 'diameter of L the' shaft with which the buff-is to vbe used. However, Withflarger buffs the concentration of material at the center might make the buif too thick at this point, especially where several ofthe buffs are to beclarnped tothen be 'placed `one 'on' each side ofthe 'buff with thel teeth 'or claws engaging the inner edge of the buifand then the discs may be pressed together so that the teeth or claws 'are clenched in the material of the buff. The 'discs maybe provided with holes `'tlirough the center'thereof of 'suit- 1:

able diameter to 't the 'shafton which it is -to be used.

Y In Eig; I have shown another type of center for alarge buff-23. In lthis "figure the bun' 23 is shown sewedftoa plurality `of discs '24 of canvas or other suitable material which may lbe piled one upon the ctherfto produce* the desired thickness and` sewed together; 'I prefer to vuse azie-zag stitch forl such purpose. Othersuitab'le materials inlay be -used fur-the center of thebulf, and the buff maybeattached thereto 1in fotherways, as by cementing. 1

'The above buff makes La `very 'simple structure, easily formed :on well knownfmachines and Without Vany waste whatsoever. In koperation the 'buff produces remarkable an'dfhighly fdesirable results. Inasmuch 'asitheweave 'of the vmaterial may be made extremely'miif'orm, `-by .the luse fo'f the well known machines already mentioned, :the Weight of the buff may -be evenly distributed, with the result that the buff is dynamically fbalanceifand because of the novel .formation wherein each strandstarts atthe `periphery of the buff, passes through the center, Vand then out to the periphery again, centrifugal force has no tendencyto pull the strands out of their uniform position, so that the balance :of the ybuil is not disturbed through use, and it l'Will continue to'run true until it is Worn down to thefcenter.

An Vextremely important advantage :of 'the 'buff of the invention, however, is the factthat the working surface Yof the buff is composed entirely of the 'ends'of the fstrandsrwithwhich itis made, and there yare therefore no fhar-d Spots or cutting edges` present, the `entire 'working surface having a soft gefiicient texturefor Ibufflng and polishing.`

The` form of :the inventionlgiustdescribed fmaY be preferred asthe simplest rand easiest manner ofv carrying out the invention. However, in Figs. l1 to 13 I have shown another form of construction which may be found desirable, under certain conditions, and which will produce the advantageous ,results of the invention. In this modiiication of the invention I rst form a tube 26 by winding asingle continuous strand 2l around to the axis of the tube. thus forming a rectangle of strands 2l all parallel to each other and each one stitchedto `the strands adjacent to it.

This rectangle may then be rolled in the other direction about an axis perpendicular to the axis about which -lt was previously unrolled, and the two end strands 3l and '32, thus brought together, may be stitched together with the same vzig-zag stitch which .held Ithe other strands together. Thus a tube 3'3 is again formed, but this time with the `strands running parallel to the axis of the tube, instead of spirally around the circumference. 'Irrasrnuch as the stitching is the Vsame between 'anytwo adjacent .strands ofthe 'tube thus formed, thetube will be `'as uniform as the tube of Fig. 1, so that it is practically la 'seamless '-tube, and r.mayfthen be treated in exactly the same way as that tube, bygathering the material at 'the center on the line indicated at 34 to form a smaller diameter, and .expanding the ends andbringing them towards each other to form vthe ila-t buff disc. The "two 'sides of thebuff vmay then be stitched together, if desired, toform amore rigid unit, as fin the case of *the buff already described in connection WithFigs. 1 to 10.

'The construction just-described may preferably be usedv for av large 'buff Yin which case I may prefer to use a center 35 made of discs of canvas or other material. 'This center may be 'stitched to the center edge -of 'thebui as already described in connection `the constructions of Figs. 8, 9, and l0. When the buff shown in Fig. 13 is rotating at high speed it will be apparen'tthat centrifugal tforce :will tend tok pull 'the strands of the buff towards the periphery. Inasmuch as'the stitching 29-in Zig-zag A'from the 'center of the buff to the circumference, the stitching is free to stretch on a radial line, and vin so Astretching 'will drawthe'stran-dsclosertogethen The buff therefore becomes more vclosely 'knit under operating conditions.

In "the-figures asmall number of strands have been shown for clearness; this 'nun'iber,-however, may be increased in actual practice, so that the strands may be compressed at the center and slightly expanded at' the circumference.

In making the buff'o'fFigs. `l1 to 1-3 the single strand may be any of the strands shown and described in connection with Fig-s. 1 to 'l inclusive, either alone -or in combination. It will be seen that the strands are all anchored at the center and pass radially to the ,circumference Where the ends thereof `torrn the Working surface of the buff. The same advantages and other `desirable results may therefore be obtained with the buff of Figs. ll'to A113', ais-fthe buff already Idescribed Yin connection with the previous figures.

The buff of theinventi'on 4lends"'itse'lf to economical manufacture 'as may Vbe Vmade in almost a continuous'process with the interlacing or winding and the stitching being done with well known machines and with substantially no waste.

In making the buil of the invention, the most practical way appears to be to contract the center of the tube of woven or sewed material and then to expand the ends and to bring them together to form two closely positioned discs. Under certain conditions I may prefer not to contract the center at all, but to expand the ends twice as much to obtain the same result, or not to expand the ends at all, but to obtain the necessary movement of the strands by a greater contraction of the center.

It is also not necessary to have the two discs formed by the several steps already described, as a single disc may also give good results. Thus a tube, similar to that shown in Fig. 1, may have one end contracted and the other end expanded to form a single disc, and the ends may then be fastened at the center by any suitable means. This method may not be preferred, as it may be more difficult to secure the inner ends of the strands, but is intended to come within the spirit of the invention.

Any of the strands shown and described may be impregnated with any suitable polishing or abrasive compound, if desired, or strands of such material may be mixed with the other strands or otherwise incorporated herewith.

Modifications may be made in the arrangements shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not therefore wish to limit myself to the construc- -tion shown and described except by the limitations included in the appended claims.

What I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is:

l. The method of making a buff which comprises interlacing a plurality of strands of bufling material to form a seamless tube, contracting the center of said tube to decrease the diameter thereof and expanding the ends of said tube and bringing them together to form a substantially flat disc.

2. The method of making a buff which comprises the steps of interlacing a plurality of strands of bufiing material to form a seamless tube, and expanding the ends of said tube and bringing the ends together to form a substantially flat disc.

3. The method of making a bui which comprises attaching a plurality of parallel strands together in a single layer to form a substantially seamless tube with all of said strands lying substantially parallel to the axis of said tube, contracting the center of said tube to decrease the diameter thereof, and expanding the ends of said tube and bringing said ends together to form a substantially flat disc with the material uniformly distributed in the plane of the disc.

4. A buff comprising a plurality of strands of bufling material each doubled upon itself, the said strands arranged about a center with the doubled portions towards the center and the ends thereof away from the center, one portion of each of'said strands lying substantially in a single ,plane and interlaced with the same portions of all the other strands, and the other portions of each of said strands lying substantially in another plane substantially parallel to said first mentioned plane and interlaced with the same portions of all the other strands.

5. A buff comprising a plurality of strands of bufiing material lying substantially in the same plane and loosely interlaced with each other, the strands being evenly distributed about the center with each stand extending from a point adjacent the center to an outer point, the said outer points being equidistant from said center.

6. A bui comprising a plurality of strands of buiiing material, each of said strands formed of a plurality of interlaced threads, means to position said strands in two closely positioned substantially parallel planes with a portion of each strand in one plane and another portion of each strand in the other plane, the said strands being `uniformly distributed about a center, means to secure together the portions of the strands in one plane, and means to secure together the portions of the strands in the other plane.

7. A buff comprising a plurality of strands of bufling material, each of said strands formed of a plurality of interlaced threads, means to position said strands in two closely positioned parallel planes with a portion of each strand in one plane and another portion of each strand in the other plane, the said strands being uniformly distributed about a center, means to secure in interlaced relation all those portions of said strands lying in one plane, and means to secure in interlaced relation all those portions of said strands lying in said other plane.

8. A buif comprising a plurality of strands of bufling material, means to position said strands in two closely positioned parallel planes with a portion of each strand in one plan`e and another portion of each strand in said other plane, the said strands being uniformly distributed about a center, and a plurality of stitches securing each of said strands to the strands adjacent to it.

9. A buff comprising a plurality of strands of buiiing material, said strands lying in two closely positioned substantially parallel planes, a portion of each strand lying in one plane and another portion of each strand lying in the other plane, said strands being uniformly distributed about a central point and each extending radially therefrom, and a plurality of Zig-zag stitches connecting each of said strands to the strands adjacent to it.

10. A buff comprising a plurality of strands of bufling material, each doubled upon itself, the said strands arranged about a center with the doubled portions towards the center and the ends thereof away from the center, so that the ends only of the strands form the working surface of the buff, one portion of each of said strands lying v substantially in a single plane and the other portion of each of said strands lying substantially in another plane substantially parallel to said first mentioned plane, and means for securing each portion of each strand to those portions adjacent to it all the way along the said portion from the center to the outer end thereof.

LAWRENCE J. WALLING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,404,620 Levett Jan. 24, 1922 2,004,623 Yoke June 11, 1935 2,034,576 Hall Mar. 17, 1936 

